


Relativity

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Character Study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-09
Updated: 2005-03-09
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: "Well, what do you call a society that has to just live every day thinking the pizza place you're eating in might blow up without any warning?" "Israel."





	Relativity

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Relativity**

**by: Kasey**

**Character(s):** Sam  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'em. Go figure.  
**Summary:** "Well, what do you call a society that has to just live every day thinking the pizza place you're eating in might blow up without any warning?" "Israel."  
**Spoiler:** _Isaac and Ishmael_.  
**Author's Note:** From the PoV of basically anyone you want (I wrote it thinking Sam, but it could go for anyone). 

I've got this friend. Well...used to be a friend. Somewhat. 

A good guy. I met him through...God, I can't even remember what now. But I met him and we kept in touch - he lived in Israel, and we, y'know, sent e-mails back and forth... 

I hadn't heard from him in awhile, but once the scares started happening I got this e-mail from him. After the first scare, he said something about he was sorry to hear about it, was glad nothing went wrong and that I was okay...and after a couple days when it was still dominating the news, he e-mailed me again, all angry, saying "Just get over it already, would you? You act like it's something so rare and horrible!" 

I e-mailed him back saying something to the extent of "It is rare, here, and I'm sure we'll get over it soon enough but it's not something we're used to and people are shaken up about it." Nothing inflammatory, nothing incendiary... 

But he got so pissed at me...Wrote this whole ranting e-mail saying how now I have a clue what it's like to live like he lives and I shouldn't act like it's any different and how we're not so special and elitist that we can't be subject to things like terrorism and national panic...things like war and hatred and fear... 

I sent him another e-mail saying I wasn't trying to act like somehow American terrorism is more important than Israeli terrorism, that I was simply trying to say that his notion that his people were much more desensitized was right, that for us it was a new thing and that, in time, we might become as desensitized as they were in his homeworld, that I hoped we wouldn't, that I wished the people he knew didn't have to be somewhat desensitized to violence and domestic terrorism. 

He got very angry at me and told me never to e-mail him again because I was a naÃ¯ve kid who should wise up. 

The thing is...He's younger than I am. 

Only maybe it seems like a lot more time when you live every day in fear for your life. 


End file.
